Indy 500: Schwitzer Award Rewards Innovation, Excellence

INDIANAPOLIS -- Louie Schwitzer, not Ray Harroun
as most
racing followers believe, won the first race at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.

Only that race was a distance of 5 miles instead of 500.

Schwitzer, a young engineer from Austria, drove a Stoddard-Dayton
powered
by a four-cylinder, 212-cubic inch engine to an average speed of 57.4 mph
in
the initial race at the official opening of the Speedway on Aug. 19, 1909.
The track was crushed stone, and officials quickly realized the surface
would have to be paved with bricks to accommodate the speeding
vehicles.

Schwitzer drove again in 1910 and was a relief driver for Harry
Cobe in the
first 500-Mile Race in 1911.

Though his fame as a driver never reached high levels, his talents
as an
innovative engineer helped in development of the automobile in the
pre-World
War II era. He also joined the Speedway technical committee in 1912 and
served as its chief from 1919 until the last pre-World War II race in
1941.

Today, Schwitzer's name is remembered each May at the Speedway.
The Indiana
Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers presents the Louis
Schwitzer
Award for Engineering Innovation and Excellence to someone involved with
the
race for a new racecar development. A check for $5,000 goes to the
winner.

The committee voted May 19, and the award will be presented May
22.

The award was first presented in 1967 to Andy Granatelli for his
turbine-powered car.

"This is the only award that isn't given directly to the car,"
said Steve
Robey, longtime committee member and former chairman.

"It goes to responsible engineers," current chairman Bruce Watson
said.
Roby, a former Formula One and Indy-style car mechanic, is manager
for
Engine Systems, Schwitzer, Inc. Watson works in advance engineering for
Cummins Engine Company.

In addition to the check, the winner will be honored at a banquet,
receive an award plaque and garage shingle as well has his/their names
added
to the permanent trophy maintained in the Speedway Museum.

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